Skillet Beef Stroganoff – A Tasty One Pan Recipe

Skillet Beef Stroganoff is a delicious dish with tender beef and a creamy sauce that’s ready in under an hour. It’s perfect for both weeknight family dinners and weekend entertaining.

Beef Stroganoff has Been a Family Favorite for Years

Beef stroganoff has been a family favorite in my house since I was a young girl. I remember my mom getting the recipe for stroganoff from a neighbor. 

It was an easy recipe with little prep work and that was right up my mom’s alley! That recipe then became a go-to for her whenever she entertained and we all loved it.

Eventually, it also became our family’s traditional Christmas Eve dinner and that tradition continues to this day. In fact, if you want to see my entire family melt down – suggest a different meal for Christmas Eve!

The History of Beef Stroganoff (The Quick Version!)

Beef stroganoff is a classic dish that originated in Russia. A traditional beef stroganoff was made with pieces of sautéed beef in a sauce that contained sour cream. It was named after the Russian Stroganov family and legend has it that it was created for the family by French chefs.

The modern American version is still made with sautéed beef and is in a cream sauce containing sour cream, but it also generally includes sautéed mushrooms and onions. This version is most often served over tender egg noodles, but my family has always preferred it served over rice.

The Original Family Beef Stroganoff Recipe

For my family, the original recipe we received from our neighbor remained intact for many years. It was a very typical recipe for the late 60’s and early 70’s using canned soup and a couple of other simple ingredients.

It called for cream of mushroom soup along with canned french onion soup and canned mushrooms. You’d brown the beef, mix everything but the sour cream together and bake for several hours before adding the sour cream in at the very end. The stroganoff sauce was a little bit of a sodium bomb, but the whole family loved it.

Updating the Traditional Family Beef Stroganoff Recipe

I eventually started hosting Christmas Eve full time and was in charge of making the beef stroganoff myself. For years, I didn’t really tweak the recipe much other than using fresh, tender mushrooms versus canned, as I wanted it to continue to be an easy beef stroganoff recipe. I did try to further update the recipe from time to time, but just couldn’t get the flavors quite right.

Finally, I decided to give it one more try, and after a fair amount of recipe testing I created a new recipe that’s a lot fresher and not so full of processed ingredients. The best part is that it also greatly reduces the sodium without reducing the flavor. Plus, it cooks on the stove top and is ready in under an hour. Score!

To update the recipe and create this skillet beef stroganoff, I started by replacing the round steak with sirloin steak, which is much more tender and requires a lot shorter cooking time. I also eliminated the canned soups and opted for an easy homemade sauce that includes beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and dijon mustard.

The result is something that is definitely company worthy. It is relatively quick cooking (with a cook time under an hour), so it’s also great for those busy weeknights when you need something hearty to feed the family in a hurry.

We have always served our stroganoff over rice and I still do with updated recipe. However, I know it’s more common to serve it over egg noodles, but rice has always been our preference. Feel free to serve it either way, depending on your preference.

Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

• This recipe calls for regular sour cream to be stirred in right before serving. I also tested the recipe with light sour cream, dairy free sour cream and fat free Greek yogurt. The consistency is very similar with any of the substitutions. The Greek yogurt gives the finished dish a little tangier flavor, but is still rich and creamy. Dairy free sour cream also worked well and is a great option if someone is dairy free.
• The recipe calls for the steak to be sautéed in batches. This takes a few extra minutes to do it in batches, but it’s definitely worth the extra time. If you try and sauté all of the meat at once, you’ll overcrowd the bottom of the skillet and it will just steam and not get that nice caramelization that you want. 
• I always use cremini mushrooms for this recipe but white button mushrooms can be substituted. I prefer cremini mushrooms because I feel like they have a slightly deeper flavor.

Ingredients Needed to Make Skillet Beef Stroganoff

Full instructions are found below in the recipe card

• Sirloin steak – You want to use a cut of steak that is relatively tender. Sirloin steak is tender and is one of the more affordable cuts of beef. If you want to splurge, filet mignon is a great option.
• Onions – I prefer to use red onion, but yellow or white will also work just fine.
• Mushrooms – My preference is cremini mushrooms as I feel that they have more flavor than white button mushrooms.
• Beef stock 
• Worcestershire sauce 
• Dijon mustard – This give the sauce just the right amount of tang.
• Thyme – Fresh or dried can be used.
• Flour 
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Sour cream – Full fat, low fat, dairy free sour cream and fat free Greek yogurt all work in this recipe.
• Rice – My preferred rice is basmati, but you can use regular short grain rice, brown rice or even cauliflower rice.

How to Make Skillet Beef Stroganoff

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Brown sliced sirloin in skillet in small batches, being careful not to crowd the pan.
• Set browned sirloin aside.
• Add more oil to skillet, if necessary and reduce to medium heat.
• Add onion to skillet and saute until onions are starting to soften.
• Stir in mushrooms and continue sauteing until the mushrooms are browned and the onions are translucent and very soft.
• Pour 2 cups of beef stock into the pan.
• Whisk Worcestershire sauce, dijon, thyme, salt and black pepper into the stock.
• Whisk flour into the remaining 1/2 cup of stock and pour into skillet.
• Bring to a bubble, whisking until sauce has thickened.
• Add sirloin back into the pan, stirring to coat with the sauce.
• Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
• Add sour cream, stirring until well-combined.
• Serve over cooked white rice.

Side Dishes that Taste Great with Skillet Beef Stroganoff

• Green Beans with Tomato and Bacon
• Everything Bagel Roasted Butternut Squash
• Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
• Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
• Parmesan Puffs
• Almost No-Knead Bread
• Field Greens Salad
• Roasted Fennel Orange Salad